zhǐ

purpose

Original meaning: 

fine-tasting

Depicts a spoon () going into the mouth (), conveying the original meaning "fine-tasting". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

Components
匕 iconic component

  Iconic component

  

spoon

口 iconic component

  Iconic component

kǒu

  

mouth

Depicts food inside the mouth.

Evolution

旨 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
旨 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
旨 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
旨 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
旨 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

zhǐ

purpose, aim; excellent; imperial decree; purport; aim; purpose

Most common words with 旨
Freq.
Word
Meaning

旨意

decree

宗旨

aim

旨在

to be intended to

主旨

gist

aim

Component uses

Meaning component in 2 characters (0 verified)

Sound component in 7 characters (1 verified)

Iconic component in 1 character (1 verified)